No increase in subsidy for kidney patients
Despite the rising cost of dialysis treatment and the injections necessary for kidney patients, the Health Ministry has no plan to increase the treatment subsidy for them.
Despite the rising cost of dialysis treatment and the injections necessary for kidney patients, the Health Ministry has no plan to increase the treatment subsidy for them.
The numbers of patient are increasing each year and the ministry is therefore focusing on prevention instead, Deputy Health Minister Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin told the Dewan Rakyat during Question Time today.
"There is an increase of kidney patients year on year," Rosnah said, adding that the number in 2011 was 5,201, up from 5,153 in 2010 and 4,864 in 2009.
In the face of this situation, the ministry would not increase treatment subsidy.
Rosnah said this in answer to a question from P Ramasamy (DAP-Batu Kawan) who asked whether the government would increase the subsidy for kidney patients from the RM50 per treatment now provided.
She said the ministry had long range and intermediate plans to combat the rising cases. The focus should be on preventive measures and all resources should be used for that purpose.
The prime causes of kidney problems, Rosnah added, were high blood pressure and diabetes, diseases that were being targeted under the prevention programmes.
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